


All Roads To The River

by Emeraldawn



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Accidents, Angst, Hurt!Grace, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Slow Build, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-20
Updated: 2013-12-20
Packaged: 2018-01-05 06:35:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1090764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emeraldawn/pseuds/Emeraldawn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was a call Danny had hoped never to get.  "Your daughter has been sent to the hospital."  Now Grace has a uphill battle and Danny has no idea how he can do it all be himself.  Steve is an angel in khaki.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All Roads To The River

**Author's Note:**

  * For [superbadgirl](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=superbadgirl).



> So asked for - _"somebody going to emergency, somebody's going to jail"_ and _Near death experience leading to realization of feelings never gets old - find a new, subtle twist?_
> 
>  
> 
> Well, I did get the emergency in, not so much the jail part, but tried a twist on the near death bit, with Grace as the one taking the punches in this fic. 
> 
> Quick note - So those superfans that know the house the use for Steve's has a bedroom downstairs. It's the one they use to film as Steve's, giving us the feel that it is upstairs. Tricky, tricky. Anyway, as far as I know the made up floor plan, in some writers head, has no bedroom on the bottom floor, so I have put this voided space as Steve's fathers office. Is it a huge deal? Well the space is important in my story, but other than that- *waves magic wand to make you believe*
> 
> Thank you for the mods for letting me be so late. Sorry everyone, it's my fault! *ducks from tomatoes*
> 
> Also thank you to kapuahi for answering my call and looking this over.

Never had Danny felt that every red light, traffic jam, or construction zone was trying to keep Danny from his destination as today. And never did the hospital feel so far away.

White knuckled fingers gripped the steering wheel, turning it sharply to the left, narrowing missing the car in front of him. This was one of the few times Danny wished he had Steven there to wave his car around anything in his way. Steve is the only person he knew that Danny would bet money, he trained on Grand Theft Auto, for his license

Finding a spot quickly, Danny entered through the doors marked Emergency, pulling out his badge as he went. If need be, he’d use it to get into to that room. 

“Mam, I got a call about my daughter Grace. Grace Williams.” Danny told the first nurse he found manning the emergency room desk. She didn’t even look up from her computer, clicking something into the keys.

“Did we call you?”

“No, her school called. Said there was an accident and she was being brought here.” Danny tried hard to keep his voice as even as he could. Having an outburst now wouldn’t get him any closer to his girl.

“I know who your talking about. She is in surgery now. I’ll page someone up to talk to you. Until then,” She handed Danny a form attached to a clipboard, “can you fill out anything about your daughter’s medical history that might be helpful. Medicines she may be on, or anything she can’t have. Blood type. Anything that we might need to know.”

Leaving Danny standing there with a clipboard and pen, the woman left her post and went through the door behind the station. Focusing on filling out basic information, Danny waited. Listing anything that maybe of importance when he got to the medical history part. Her stitches when she fell on a shovel in their backyard when she was four, or the bronchitis she had last winter. 

Pulling out his cell phone Danny stared blankly at it, trying to think. Did he remember everything? Should he call Rachel to double check before he even knew what was happening? Should he call Steve and let him know he took off?

“Danny!” Steve’s voice behind him shook Danny out of his rotating thoughts. The man was walking at a fast pace to get to Danny. Guess Steve saw him leave anyway.

“How did you know I was here?”

“Duke called us after you left. Kono and Chin went to see what they can learn at the school.” Steven tilted his head toward the ER doors, “Know anything yet?”

“No the nurse went to check for me. I’m just-” Danny looked back at the clipboard, trying to remember what he was doing. The hospital forms. Now the questions looked daunting. He didn’t know Grace’s social security number by memory. Did parents know all these things? Would Rachael have known?

Steve reached over and lifted the clipboard from Danny’s hands reading it over, “Do you need to sit down? I could-”

“No. No. Not yet. I’ll-” Danny broke off when he saw the nurse walking out of the door she had used earlier.

“Mr. Williams. Your daughter has been moved to third floor operating theaters.. If you want to take that paper work and head up, I have a nurse waiting to meet you in the waiting lounge with information for you.”

Steve thanked the nurse for him, as he left for the elevators. Steve’s silence next to him didn’t help his troubled thoughts. Once the doors closed Danny became very verbal.

“My baby girl was hurt enough to have to be operated on, Steve.”

“I know Danny. What ever we can do-”

“I want him in jail. No. I want the bastard found and hit _him_ with a car.”

“Danny-”

“Don’t you Danny me. This. Is. My. Daughter. And I still don’t know what’s wrong with her.” 

Danny walked onto the floor as soon as the doors opened, before Steve could even respond. Walking into the waiting area, Danny didn’t have to wait long for the nurse to meet him. 

“Mr. Williams?” The nurse, _Keahi_ her name tag read, asked. 

“You have news on Grace?”

She doesn’t answer but holds her hand out to the chairs next to them, inviting Danny to sit in one. He didn’t know if he should take this a sign that everything is fine, or worry more. Steve reached out and squeezed Danny’s shoulder, offering a little strength.

“No, I’m fine. What happen to Gracie?”

Keahi lips pinched her lips together, clearly not on board with the idea, but didn’t fight it. “As you know Grace was hit by a car. When she first came in, she was unconscious unable to answer any questions that might determine what was wrong with her. Other than some minor cuts that need stitches there wasn’t any visible signs of injury. So we ran scanned her for internal bleeding and any damage to her spine.”

Keahi took a courtesy pause for the information to process. So much information yet so little. His daughter was in one piece and alive, but what was the real problem. Steve squeezed Danny a little harder, keeping in the here and now, not off thinking on what if’s.

“What we did find, Mr Williams, was no internal bleeding, which is good because it will not be a hindrance in what we did find. Grace has damage to her fourth and fifth lumbars. Right now she is undergoing surgery to see if we can fix the damage.”

A thousand and one question ran through Danny’s mind, to fast for him to even grasp on one to ask. 

“What does that mean for Grace?” Danny focused on Steve’s question. Yes what does it all mean.

“Well we don’t know yet. She could have anything from spinal contusions which is pretty common.The spinal cord is bruised but not severed and inflammation and bleeding occurs near the injury area. To a complete spinal cord Injury, where she could suffer a loss of sensation and motor ability below the site of the injury.”

“So you’re telling me, my baby might never walk again?”

“What I am telling you Mr. Williams is that, we do not know yet. Humans can and do surprise medical staff daily. We are doing the best we can and will know more as Grace wakes up and heals. Will she walk out of here tomorrow a hundred percent better? No. What we do know is she will need support and love from her father and family when she wakes. And until we know, let’s not borrow trouble. Now I’ll be back when I have more information to give you. There is restrooms and vending machines down the hall.”

And thus began their wait. 

 

Danny didn’t know how long he waited, he spent his time worrying while pacing, standing or sitting,sometimes to himself, sometimes out loud. Danny’s mind ran through all kinds of outcomes, and actions he’d need to take. The more he thought about everything, the more he wanted to run the driver over with a car himself. And leave him in a ditch somewhere.

Sometimes Steve was with him, other times he was out in the hallway, handling phone calls, that was when he spoke to low for Danny to hear the conversation, and it didn’t take a genius to know that he was talking to Chin or Kono about the accident. 

Danny thought Steve might have called Rachel. He had a vague recollection of saying he needed to call Rachel, and let her know, then wondering if he should wait until he knew what was going on. Telling her now would allow her time to get here while they were still waiting. Getting a fight to Hawaii could be hard, since fights can fill up fast, plus the length of time of the fight from Las Vegas to Hawaii. 

“Danny, you want any coffee?” Steve’s question sounded so loud, snapping Danny, once again, from his thoughts. 

“No. I’m fine.” 

“Danny we have been here for over three hours, and you didn’t get a lunch today. Drink some damn coffee.” Danny blinked at Steve, seeing a paper coffee cup, already in his hand. “Remember Grace needs you strong Danny”

Reaching for the cup, Danny felt the heat seep through to his fingers, warming up his hands. Danny didn’t know he was this cold. Wasn’t cold a sign of shock? 

That’s all Danny needed now, to be in shock 

“Mr. Williams?” Keahi entered the waiting room.

“Grace?” Danny stood hand gripping tight on his paper cup, crushing the sides in.

“She is out of surgery and we are moving her into a room soon.”

“We can I see her?”

“As soon as she is moved I’ll take you up. This is Dr. Dehaan, he is here to talk to you about Grace.”

Danny looked over at the woman standing next to her, noticing her for the first time. Danny not being aware of his surroundings was not something that Danny did. 

Dr. Dehaan looked like she could be a extra for a typical preschool teacher, small and bubbly. A woman that got her whole class enjoying school. Grace would have loved her when she was four.

“How bad is it?”

“Mr. Williams,” Dr Dehaan sat across from where Danny had been sitting, causing him to take his seat again, next to Steve. “As you were told Grace suffered damage to the fourth and fifth lumbars. From what I can tell, this area was where she took the majority of the impact. I am going to honest with you Mr Williams. The hit did considerable amount of damage, but because of the size of Grace and the size of the vehicle the injury could have been much worse. If the driver had been going faster I think Grace would have lost a limb or died.”

Danny didn’t think he could sober up any more. The thought of his monkey dead- He couldn’t go there.

“But, Grace did sustain a severe hit to the area, and in doing so she has suffered a spinal cord injury.”

All his worst case fear flashed in his head. Grace forever stuck, arms and legs unmovable. “How bad.”

“Well, we still don’t know everything until we can test her, but it looks like at least incomplete spinal cord injury or at most complete spinal cord injury. Incomplete spinal cord injury does not result in complete loss of movement and sensation below the injury site. This can take different forms, from movability but affecting pain, temperature and touch sensation, but leaving some pressure and joint sensation to a limited amount of movability. A complete spinal cord injury will generally result in total loss of sensation and movement below the site of the injury. 

“Does this mean my daughter might be in a wheelchair?”

“We don't know yet. We still have to perform tests. But she is young, is strong, and can adapt.”

Grace shouldn't have to adapt. She was only ten. His daughter should be running, enjoying tennis and cheer squad Not physical therapy and learning how to live in a wheelchair. 

“Mr Williams do you hear me?

“Sorry....I”

Danny felt Steve hand circle his bicep, “Come on Danny, lets go up and visit Grace.”

 

Besides some bandages and stitches, Grace looked like she was sleeping. The doctor told Danny and Steve, that she was sleeping off the rest of the anesthesia, but she was hooked up to a pain reliever on an IV drip, for when she woke Because of her back surgery, Grace is sleeping on her right side, allowing her incisions to be pressure free. 

Seeing his daughter laying in a hospital bed, with only a hospital gown and an off white blanket, to offer her comfort, created a new level of hate, for the man that hurt his daughter.

“Does Chin and Kono have him yet?” Danny’s eyes never left Graces face, but he knew Steve was right behind him. 

“Yeah Danny.”

“I want his back broken and have to spend the rest of his short live in a wheel chair. And I do mean short life, because I want him dead”

“Danny, he’ll face charges-”

“Steve that’s bullshit!" Danny rounded on Steve, trying to keep his voice low, coming out as a harsh whisper. “I’ve seen you hunt people down for less.” 

“Yes and we got him Danny. He didn’t run, he was in handcuffs before Chin and Kono got to the school. Trust me, I’ll stay on top of this Danny”

“Stay on top of it. You don’t understand Steve, this is my daughter.” Danny’s voice broke at the end. Looking back at his Grace, Danny wanted to scoop her up and protect her from the world.  
Protect her like he couldn’t today. 

“I get that Danny. I may not have a daughter, but I love Gracie just the same. She is my niece. She wormed her way into my heart when she called me uncle. Chin and Kono would stand in front of a bullet for her. I swear to you he’ll get hit with every law we can think of. But hurting him won’t fix Grace and it will make it very hard for you to be here for her.”

Danny’s knees felt weak, the fight draining out of him. He needed to sit down. Steve was right. He couldn’t go out on a half cocked vendetta, seeking vengeance. He barely kept his job when Grace was kidnapped. If it wasn’t for Stan, standing next to Danny, who knows what would've happened.

Danny just needed some time alone with Grace, to think. He thanked Steve and sent him to do what he couldn’t. Send the man that hurt his baby to jail.

 

Danny sat next to Grace, holding her hand, praying to every saint his mother and the church had taught him. Grace was alive, now he begged her to be able to walk. Only the text from Rachael broke him from his prayers. She got the first flight that was free, but will still take thirty-six hours to get here. Stan was coming too. Dannyf, for the first time, was glad to hear Stan was coming. He could deal with his ex wife, because Danny sure couldn’t. 

It took over two hours before Grace completely woke up. She had moments when she had stirred, but pulling herself out of drugged sleep took it’s time. Danny talked softly to her, like all the times when Grace had nightmares at a younger age. Trying to keep her still and calm until he could explain what was happening.

“Grace, monkey, how you feeling?”

Grace squeezed Danny’s hand as if she was trying to prove he were real. 

“Monkey I need to tell me if you're in any pain,” Danny coxed softly.

Grace’s eyes wrinkled at the corners, trying to comprehend what Danny was asking her. Slowly she shook her head in the negative. 

“Do you remember what happened Grace?”

Again she look confused, as she processed the question, before nodding her head slightly. 

“You're in the hospital Grace. The doctors they...they had to operate on your back, to fix what the car did. It's very important that you do not roll over. Can you do that for me, monkey?”

This time Grace nodded yes, a little faster than before. 

“Okay Gracie, Danno is going to stay with you. We have to wait for the doctors to check you out.”

Grace’s voice sounded very dry, when she croaked out, “Okay Danno."

Danny filled the quiet by telling Grace that Steve had come to visit, and that her mother was flying out with her step-Stan. He told her that Kono and Chin we're coming to visit later on, after dealing with the bad guy. He told her that they caught him like they always do. Grace listened to Danny, until she fell asleep, hand still tight in his.

By the next time Grace woke up, Dr Dehaan was there to check on her progress. She explained that tonight they will allow the swelling from the accident and surgery to recede, before they do any of their testing. Grace nodded as this was explained to her, not looking distressed, just mostly tired. 

Before the end of the day Steve came back to check on Danny and Grace, bringing Danny’s office go bag and some food. 

 

The next day, Grace went in for, what Danny felt was, endless testing. Grace took it all in silent strength, which Danny didn’t know how to bear. A topic he brought up with Steve during their now nightly dinners, one of the few times he left Grace’s side. Rachel and Stan, when he was here, came and had one on one time with Grace, during her evenings. 

“I just wish they could pinpoint the damage without all this poking and prodding.” 

And that was worrying Danny, how long was it before Grace snapped at the tests. Good news was it wasn’t a complete spinal cord injury, but Dr. Dehaan told them that because all different ways an incomplete spinal cord injury can affect the body, the testing would be invasive and the rehab just as intense, if not more. But with time Dr. Dehaan said his baby will walk again.

“Danny, Grace is a strong kid, she’ll get through this,” Steve told him, like every time Danny worried about how Grace would handle her recovery. Danny knew it wasn’t empty words coming from Steve. Grace was a strong and smart kid, handling her parents divorce, a kidnapping and her father shot in front of her like a champ. But everyone had a limit. 

“Yea, but soon Rachel will leave. Shouldn’t a girl have her mother around at a time like this?” Danny still didn’t know how that one came about, but he was willing to bet that it had something to do with Grace. Two days ago, Danny had come back after dinner with Grace staring out the window in quiet anger and Rachel informing Danny that she will be leaving at the end of the week. Neither woman would tell Danny what happened. It was just another problem that he’d bet had a matching shoe waiting to drop.

Steve opened his mouth but nothing came out. He took a few starting breaths, before closing it altogether, rethinking what he wanted to say. Danny most likely knew, Steve’s mother was a sore subject for him, and he told Danny more than once that he thought his sister could have grown up better with a mother around, even if aunt Deb was an awesome woman. Danny kept his opinions mostly to himself. Truth was Steve’s mother was not a motherly woman even if she played one for years.

“I know Grace is doing fine without her, but this is different than when she was talked into TPing the house. I just want the strongest support system for her.”

“And you’ll get it Danno. Grace has the biggest Ohana that will stand alongside her.”

“I know Steve, I truly do. Just everytime I turn around, I find some other thing I have to adapt or change. Like we can’t live in our place. I rent, and it can’t handle her chair. The doctor told me she could be in it up to a year, depending on how she takes to her exercises.” Danny turned to look out at the cafeteria, trying to calm down before he got into a useless rant. Ranting wouldn’t change anything, and gives Danny a feeling of complete overwhelmness.

“Then move in with me.”

Danny head snapped back to Steve, looking at him dead in the eye. “Your place? Steven your bedrooms are all upstairs and your house is not wheelchair accessible. Plus how can she even get into the house?”

“So I get a crew over and do some upgrades, she won't be home for two weeks-”

“Absolutely not! I’ve just got to look hard for a place.”

 

Two days after Rachel left for Nevada, Grace was moved to a rehab center for ten days. She was to get extensive rehabilitation, and then come in daily for more. This was the first time since the accident that Danny could not stay with Grace. He still spent as much time with her, but after hovering too much in her first physical therapy session, (Grace’s words not his) his daughter asked if he could not be around So Danny came back to work part time. Mainly to catch the team up on their paperwork and look for a place for them.

But the search wasn’t going well. Horrible in fact.

Hawaiian real estate was a difficult commodity to get at the best of times, but with restrictions, finding a place was near impossible. Danny’s day became, waking up, getting ready, visiting Grace and having breakfast with her, work and house hunt, evening and dinner with Grace and go home to worry about where they were going to live. 

As time ticked closer to Grace’s departure from rehab, Danny fuse got worse, snapping at his teammates. Steve tried to talk to Danny, always offering his home, but Danny would remind him that his house was not fitted for their needs. Ending the discussion, before it could be labeled as one. 

This went on until the clock counted down and it was the day for Grace to come home. Danny went into work that day, planning on talking to Graces doctor, asking if she could extend Grace’s time there, even if he had to pay for it out of his pocket. What he found was Steve in Grace’s room telling her some story of his youthful high jinks. 

“Steve what are you doing here?”

“You didn’t think you can get Gracie’s new wheels in your car did you?” Danny closed his eyes, taking a breath. His Camaro. Of course he’ll have to trade it in for something else. He wasn’t thinking wheelchairs when he bought the sports car.

At least one of them thought about that. You could put anything on Steve’s massive truck, that he _didn’t drive anywhere_ Maybe the only good thing about Danny having to get a new car, I’d bet Steve wouldn’t be caught dead chasing down a suspect in a minivan.

“Danno, Uncle Steve said we’re going to his house.” Grace told him, the most excited he had seen her in weeks. Grace loved visiting Steve’s, with his damn beachfront property 

“Monkey I am sure you want to visit Steve’s but-”

“Oh no Danny, I was telling Grace how you and Grace were going to live with me , right Gracie?” Steve looked over at Grace, giving her a grin, like the two conspirators that they were.

“Yea, Danno Uncle Steve told me about my new room and my own bathroom ! I even get to paint it any color I want, Uncle Steve said he’ll do the high parts.”

“Yep, I even promised to do a good job too.”

“That’s great monkey. Hey _Uncle Steve_ can I talk to you for a bit?” Danny tilted his head to the hallway, before walking out. Steve followed him, hands already up in giving Danny the universal calm down gesture, as Danny turn on him.

“What. The. Hell. Steven we _talked_ about this.” Danny started 

“No Danny, you talked and I didn’t listen-”

“Why am I not surprised, -”

“-but you didn’t find a place-”

“-spending God know how much money, on a remodel -”

“-and you can just have her stay here-”

“-when I told you that I was looking and looking-”

“-it wasn’t just me, Kono and Chin helped too-”

“-but you just _had_ to sweep in like a hero,-”

“- and it’s not like I need all the space-”

“-but I spose I should thank you-”  
Steve stopped talking in mid sentence, a slight confused look on his face, “What did you just say?”

“I said, thank you Steve. You’re right Grace can’t stay here. And that was my last plan. I still don’t want you to spend so much money on changing your house around for Grace. I’ll help pay for-”

“Danny! Stop. It didn’t cost much. I called a few friends, Chin had some family that needed some work and a few SEAL friends stopped in to help. And really, it’s not like the bathroom didn’t need an upgrade. Also, it was my dad’s office, I hardly use it.”

“Steve, it’s more than the rooms. Do you know what you're getting into? How much this is going affect your home life? This isn’t just giving me a couch for the week, It’s a big deal.”

“Danny you and Grace are Ohana.” 

Danny knew that was all the reasoning Steve needed. It was enough for him when there was more on the line than a disrupted home life. To Steve this simple phrase had an unsaid second part, _and family means everything._ To Danny, who is cut from the same values, there is nothing more to say. 

 

With Grace bundled in the truck, pillow cushion in her back, wheelchair in the bed, Danny followed Steve, who is driving his car, to Steve’s house. Grace was silent,but happily watching the world she hadn’t seen for weeks, as they drove.

Pulling into the drive, Danny noticed that Steve had turned the back steps into a ramp for a chair. It looked like used the construction as an excuse to touch up the white paint on the porch. 

“Come on Danny,” Steve was already at the back door, “I want to show Grace her new room.”

Pushing Grace up the ramp, Danny followed him in through the living room, to the side room that had at one time, been John McGarrett’s office. No much had to be done to the room itself. But they did wall up one entryway and put a door on remaining entrance, giving Grace a sense of privacy. He kept the large windows, giving Grace a view of the side yard and a little bit of the ocean. 

“So I got in contact with a friend that works for the Navy as a physical therapist and he gave me some ideas.” Steve pointed to the bed first, “I put a handrail next to the headboard here so, when you are at the stage of pulling yourself out to the chair, you can use these. Also the desk, a couple of guys built, so your chair has plenty of space to fit under it. Most of the improvements are in the bathroom.”

Walking to the bathroom, Danny could tell the door itself was widened enough for a wheelchair. “I put up handlebars and we replaced the bath with a walk in tub. You can pick out colors when we go shopping. Oh and come take a look in the yard.”

Danny pushed Grace out to the yard, where he saw a pair of parallel bars, “Yea, so when I ask what kind of exercises you’ll need, this was one of them. We’ll get or build anything your therapist asks for.”

“Steve-”

“Nope Danny I don’t want to hear it. Now don’t you have an apartment to pack up?”

 

Danny sat on Steves couch, body so tired he might slip off into sleep right here. Today was nothing that Danny had planned when he woke up. He was completely moved into Steve’s, with all large items stored in Chin’s garage. With Grace at Steve’s, watched by one of Chin’s many aunts, this one a nurse, the team, with Max, Fong and a few of the HPD officers they work with, packed up everything and moved it in one afternoon. Kamekona even dug out a few trucks and boxes to pack everything in. Danny just hoped none of his stuff ended up smelling like shrimp. 

“Long Board, Danny?” Steve held the bottle over Danny’s shoulder from where he stood from behind the couch. Danny fingers circled around the chill of the glass, sliding it out of Steven loose hold. 

“Thanks I need it.” 

“Yea, it’s been a long day. But worth it having Grace back with you right?” Steve sat on the couch, legs close enough for Danny to feel the heat from Steve seep through his rarely worn jeans. Danny would have shifted to give Steve more room on his own couch, if he had the energy. As of now, he barely had the power to drink his beer.

“Steve, I told you before, I’d walk through hell for my daughter.”

“Well nothing that drastic, just rooming with me.” 

Danny took note of Steve teasing grin, before releasing a heavy breath. “Steve, you know everything so far has been the easy part right? I mean you said you had a friend that worked with soldiers that are going through injuries like Gracies, right.” Danny turned his head to look Steve head on. “Rehab is going to be hard and painful. Grace, and by extension us, are going to go through hell. That what I meant when I asked if you know what you were getting into.”

 

“Danny, I know. Trust me I asked. I was just ...Just trying to make you relax a bit.”

Danny looked down at his bottle, thumb picking at the label's corner. He was doing it again. Being snappy to people that were helping him. “Look Steve-”

“Danny I know and understand. Just remember when your brain works itself a mile a minute, I want both you and Grace here. Now, why don’t you go to bed, Get some sleep while you can.”

 

Three days after they moved in with Steve, Grace had her first physical therapy appointment, where they discussed her treatment. It was the easiest appointment Grace would have. For the brief amounts of therapy that Danny need for his ACL, the intensity was nothing on what Grace had to go through. Just the pressure and stretching for muscle manipulation had Grace in tears. There was nothing he could do to help his daughter, other than give her a muscle relaxer when her back and legs would spasm at night. And then when it came to her occupational therapy,Grace was so determined to learn how to do things, Danny was beginning to fear what she would do if she failed at a task.

It was on her first lesson, where Grace was to pull herself out of the chair, that Danny couldn't be more thankful that Steve was around. The task required a lot of upper body strength to use mainly your arms to lift yourself out of a chair and pull yourself to your destination, and Grace was told repeatedly that she would not get it one the first try, or even the tenth.

Her sobs were louder that night. Danny knew this was more than pain, she was so driven to succeed. It was what he feared, Grace felt worse than frustrated, she felt defeated.

“Let me talk to her Danny.” Steve had come up behind him, while Danny was standing outside Grace’s room, lost.

“What can you do Steve, my daughters-”  
Steve put his hand on each shoulder, turning him away from the door, “Trust me.”

Steve’s hands slid down following his shoulder blades before removing them. “Go sit down, I’ll be back.”

With no other plan Danny did that, but nothing more. He couldn’t get himself to turn on the TV or pick up a book, so he just set there, staring at a black screen for God knows how long before Steve came back, this time with a bottle of scotch and two rocks glasses. 

Pouring out a liberal amount, Steve handed Danny a glass, “I talked to her and her pain meds kicked in, she was falling asleep when I left.”

Danny rolled the glass in his hands, watching the liquid swirl with the motion, “Is she okay? What did you talk about.” 

Steve shot back his scotch before answering Danny “Told her how about a friend of mine, who was shot, and went through the same thing she is going through. Told her about the soldiers in the hospital and how she was pushing so hard, harder than some of them.” 

Steve pour another glass, sitting back on the couch next to Danny, “Your daughter is a little fighter, and a told her that. And that it was okay to have bad days, because my friend did too.”

“What did she say?”

“She asked if he got any better. When I told her he did, she said, ‘I guess it’s okay to cry too.’” 

The corner of Danny’s lips lifted in a small smile. Taking his shot, Danny turned to look at Steve, “I don’t think I tell you enough, thank you.”

 

_Danny came on the scene, heart beating frantically. He tried to make his way to the center on the activity, calling out for people to move._

_Pushing and and weaving through the crowd, Danny felt like he was a salmon moving up stream, fight waves of people until he got through._

_Time stood still have Danny broke through. He could see people yelling out orders, next to a mangled car. The workers hid most of the form the were working on. Black shoes on little, feet and white tight covered legs, was the only see Danny could see from where he stood._

_Danny’s heart dropped. A picture of Grace walking up the sidewalk to her school, showing her friends her new black shoes, flashed in Danny’s mind._

_Grace, he was here because he got a call about a car hitting his daughter._

_“Grace!”_

 

“Grace!”

“Danny wake up!”

Danny jerked awake, sitting up fast on the couch, elbowing Steve in the stomach on his way up. Blinking himself awake, Danny took in the living room. The bottle of scotch sat at the table half full. A groan from Steve had shifted Danny;s attention to him.

“Damnit Danny you have sharp elbows.” Steve was holding his stomach as he rolled to sit up from the couch. “I can deal with you drooling on me, but not stabbing me before breakfast.”

Danny's I don't drool retort, was canceled out by a wet patch on Steve's faded navy shirt, right under the left pec. A spot that would only be there if Danny was laying with his head dead center of Steve’s chest. A chest that became more defined as Steve straightened himself out, pain clearly gone.

“Who knew you’d be such a snuggler,” Steve teased before he stood up. 

“Sorry, I must have been more tired than I thought.”

“No harm Danny. I was knocked out too.” Steve shrugged it off, like the man slept with other men on his chest nightly. “But you’re making breakfast, egg whites and fruit, as an apology for waking me from a good dream.”

Danny’s answer was a one fingered salute.

 

Danny doesn't know how Steve does it, nor did he want to look a gift horse in the mouth by asking, but Steve swung it so Danny could do as much as he could from home or that Grace could come to work where she would meet with her tutor. For the rest of the school year, and maybe the next. Grace’s private school sent a tutor to work with her, and keep her on track with her class. 

Very quickly their lives fell into a pattern. Danny and Grace didn’t fit well into Steve’s life, but saw him rearrange everything to make it fit. Like setting up his TV to get Netflix, and setting up a family movie night. Or every weekend taking Grace out into the water so her legs can move a little more than on land.

Then there were changes in Steve that Danny didn’t understand. Changes that all had the same base, Steve got closer to Danny. Like brushing up against Danny’s arm when they were cooking together, teaching Danny healthier cooking tips than just a bagged salad poured into a Tupperware container. Or sitting so close to Danny on the couch, their legs touched throughout the whole movie, sometimes even putting his arm around the back of the couch behind Danny’s head. The only thing he was missing was the yawn before the stretch. Danny felt like he was on one of his old high school dates, only Steve was putting the moves on him. 

And then there was the new shirt allergy that Steve deployed. He didn’t walk around top less when Grace was about, but early morning and nights, had Steve walking around in a pair of blue sweats with Navy printed up the side of one leg. And went on morning runs with Steve, as soon as Grace convinced him that she would be fine for a hour or so eating or watching TV, Steve would drop the shirt on the porch step and pick it up on the trip back in. Did the man even know how hard it was to do anything when his government toned abs were out on show. 

He even bought Danny noise canceling headphones to use until, Danny learned to sleep past the noise of the ocean. 

The was something else Danny noticed. Something that Danny had a feeling Steve didn’t want him to know. Or at least not yet. Things like Steve watching Danny when he didn’t think Danny could see. 

It was hard to describe the why a person looked when they were in love. It was stronger than friendship. The eyes took on a softer gaze. Sometimes you swore they glowed when they smiled. But when you looked into an unguarded face of a person in love, everyone knows.

Danny remembers looks like that. His father would look at his mother that way, or his sister when her husband came home from work. He use to give them to Rachel when they were still married. But, it had been a long time since anyone looked at Danny that way. And he never thought it would be Steve.

Question is what was Danny going to do about it? 

 

“Thanks for coming over Kono,” Danny called out when he heard the back door open.

“No problem Danny, I don’t get a girls night much. Been along time since I got to paint nails and do pizza. I even came with DVD’s” Kono said holding up two cases.

“Aren't you a little too young to remember _Say Anything_ and Pretty in Pink?”

“You’re never too young for the classics.” Kono put the DVD’s on the kitchen counter top near where Danny was chopping lettuce. “What are you doing?”

“You think you’re going to get to eat pizza and candy all night long? Salad. You can’t eat just pizza and candy all night. And no, pineapple on pizza is neither healthy nor a pizza topping. No matter how many times I tell you. And now you turned my own daughter against me.”

Kono snagged a baby carrot, “Oh boo hoo, Danny,” she teased before popping it into her mouth.

“So you know how to get ahold of me, or Steve. Grace is finishing up her homework and will be out soon.”

“Danny, Chin and I have tons of cousins, all with kids of their own. I’ll be fine. Now,” Kono leaned closer, dropping her voice. Most likely so little ears couldn’t hear, “Where are you two going?”

“No where special, just a little Mexican place we sometimes get take out from.”  
“Ah huh, and you’re picking up Steve from work? Does boss man even know?”

Wiping his hands on a towel, Danny waits a beat. He knows what Kono is after. It didn’t take a genius to see that Chin and Kono have noticed the signs Danny picked up on, and now think that it was high time Danny responded some how. But Danny wasn’t going to put his friendship in jeopardy with feelings and looks as evidence. Where Kono thought they were starting some movie romance, Danny was looking for answers. 

“No, I am going to surprise him.”

 

For a Friday night in Hawaii the restaurant was dead. Which Danny thought for the best. Less people to see him to make a fool out of himself, if this all went south. 

Danny let Steve pick out a quiet corner table, picking the seat so he can keep an eye on the door. Danny stopped trying to take any seat that will cause Steve to not have his line of sight. Just like he let the man drive his car, and keep go bags, of who knows what, in the trunk.

Neither bothered to look at the menus left on the table, they both knew it forwards and backwards. 

“So Danny, are you going to tell me what this is about?”

Danny picked at his thumb’s nail bed. He hadn’t felt this nervous since the night Grace was born. He wasn’t going to break right into his inquiry, maybe wait until dinner was on the table. But Steve posed the topic, well Danny wasn’t one to back down.

“Okay look, I’m not one to, sugar coat anything-”

“Thats not something I think, when I think of you.”

“- I believe in laying it out there, telling the truth.”

“Never lied to you Danny.”

“Not saying you did. Sure sometimes you keep things to yourself.”

“Danny I can’t tell you about top secret-”

“Woo woo woo, who said anything about your top secret GI Joe stuff. I’m talking, if you care to follow the conversation, about you hiding your feelings-”

“I am not unemotional, Danny.”

“Did I say unemotional? No. I said keeping things to yourself. You put on your manly brave soldier face, and act like nothings phased you-”

“Is this about my mother again?”

“No. This is about your walking around like a love struck puppy-”

“A puppy Danny? Really?”

“- _and_ I am not the only one who sees it. See, that’s what I mean. You’re sitting there, with your blank Marine face on, when the topic is even brought up. But you can’t fool me Steven. I know you to well. When you think no ones looking, you get this face-”

“Why do you always think I have a face Danny.”

“Because you do! You show all you emotional right here,” Danny waved a hand over his own face, “then remember that people can see and shield it under your super soldier face. You never tell anyone what you are feeling, just bury it like some khaki wearing robot-”

“Danny does this have a point.”

“-and leave people, that just may care about you too, in the dark guessing-”

“Danny!”

“-am I reading the signs wrong, or is it attraction, or lo-”

“Damn- it Danny! Fine yes I love you. Maybe for years. Even if we fight like we old and married. Even you _never_ let me get a word it I -”

Let it be know that they only time Danny got the better of Steve, was when he almost knocked over their table to kiss him. 

Steve was quick to react, (god bless the Navy), combing his fingers in Danny’s hair pulling him close. He didn’t dominate the kiss, but his fingertips pushed hard enough to let Danny know that later, when they were not in the middle of a restaurant, someone would be begging. 

“Um, so just to be clear Steve, I reciprocate too.”

“I think we need work on how _you_ express your feelings.” Steve let go of Danny’s head so he go sit back down, taking a hold of his hand instead. “So are we still up for this dinner thing, you want to head on home.”

“I’d say go home, but Grace is getting some much needed girl time, and I am _not_ having our first time in the back seat of the Camaro. Plus if you’re up for it, I think we have years and years to skip dinner for some adult activities.”

“I wouldn't have it any other way.”


End file.
